Locking device for the receiver-arms of telephones.



W. R. & G. P. EWING.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR THE RECEIVER ARMS 0F TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED APB-.29, 1910.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

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WILLIAM R. EWING, OE MARS, A1\TID CHARLES P. EWING, 0F RENFBEW, PENNSYL- VANIA.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR THE RECEIVER-ARMS OF TELEPHONES.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 29, 1910.

Patented J an. 3, 1911.

Serial No. 558,479.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, (1) WILLIAM R. EWING and (2) CHARLES P. EWING, citizens of the United States, residing at (1) Mars and (2) Renfrew, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices for the Receiver-Arms of Telephones, of which the following is a specification, reference being'had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a locking device for the receiver arms of telephones, and the primary object of our invention is to provide novel means for locking the receiver arm, whereby the arm will be held even though the receiver is removed, and the arm cannot be released unless the central operator is aware of the fact that the receiver has been removed.

Our invention aims to eliminate the nefarious practice of unscrupulous persons in listening to messages transmitted over the telephone on party lines, it being a wellknown fact, that messages on a party line can be heard by disinterested parties without notifying the central operator. It is in this connection, that we have devised anovel locking device that will hold the receiver arm, even though the receiver is removed, it being necessary for the user of the telephone to perform a certain operation to release the arm before the telephone can be used, and it is this particular operation that notifies the central that another party is on the line.

Our invention will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing forming a part of this specification, wherein there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of our invention, but it is to be understood that the structural elements thereof can be varied or changed without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the battery box of a telephone with the front plate thereof removed showing our device within the box, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the box showing the receiver arm in a locked position.

In the accompanying drawings the reference numeral 1 denotes a battery box pro- Vided with horizontal platforms 2 and 3 14 adapted to elevate the arm llwhen a receiver is removed from the outer end thereof, the elevation of said arm completing an ordinary telephonic connection that permits the user of the telephone to talk to the central operator and such parties as may be placed upon the line.

The confronting walls of the box 1 directly beneath the platform 3 are provided with oppositely disposed bearings 15 for the ends of a rock shaft 16, said shaft having an upwardly extending crank 17 extending through a slot 18 provided therefor in the platform 8. The upper end of the crank 17 is provided with a tooth or projection 19 adapted to engage the upper edge of the receiver arm 11 and hold said arm in a lowered position. The upper end of the crank 17 is also provided with an aperture and connected to said crank through the medium of said aperture is a coiled spring 19 adapted to retain said crank in engagement with the arm 11, said spring being connected to the rear wall of the box 1. The shaft 16 is provided with a depending crank 20 and this crank is adapted to be engaged by a short arm 21, carried by a shaft 22 forming part of the ordinary mechanism 28 of a battery box, the shaft 22 extending through the side of the box and having the outer end thereof provided with a crank 24 and a handle 25.

The compartments 4 and 5 of the battery box are adapted to contain the ordinary mechanism used in connection with a telephone, and our invention simply resides in the locking mechanism for the receiver arm 11.

With the receiver arm 11 in a lowered and locked position, it is impossible for a person who has removed the receiver to listen to any messages being transmitted upon the party line, and when the person desires to use the telephone, the shaft 22 must be rotated to rock the shaft 16 and swing the crank 17 out of engagement with the receiver arm 11. The revolving of the shaft 22 immediately notifies the central operator that the telephone is to be used, and if the party line is in use, the central operator can easily notify the person using the telephone that they Will have to wait until other messages have been transmitted.

It is thought that in view of the central operator being notified each and every time a person attempts to listen to messages trans mitted upon a party line, that the practice will be eliminated to the satisfaction of the subscribers of telephones located upon party lines.

hat we claim, is:

1. In a locking devicefor the receiver arm of a telephone, the combination with a normally locked receiver arm adapted when released to notify the central operator that the telephone is to be used, of a rock shaft, a crank carried by said shaft and adapted to engage said arm and normally hold said arm in an inoperative position, and a revoluble shaft adapted to rock the first mentioned shaft to release said arm from inoperative position.

2. In a locking device for the receiver arm of a telephone, the combination with a bat tery box, and a normally locked receiver arm having one end thereof pivotally mounted in said box, and adapted when released to notify the central operator that the telephone is to be used, of a rock shaft movably mounted in said box, a crank carried by said shaft and adapted to engage said receiver arm and normally hold said arm in an inoperative position, and a revoluble shaft extending into said box and adapted to rock said shaft to release said arm from inoperative position, substantially as, and for the purpose herein described.

3. I11 a locking device for the receiver arm of a telephone, the combination with a battery box, and a normally locked springpressed receiver arm having one end thereof pivotally mounted in said box and adapted .when released to notify the central operator that the telephone is to be used, of a rock shaft movablv mounted in said box, a crank carried by said rock shaft and adapted to engage said arm and normally retain said arm in an inoperative position, another crank carried by said rock shaft, a revoluble shaft extending into said box, and an arm carried by said shaft and adapted to impinge the last mentioned crank to rock said shaft and move the first mentioned crank out of engagement with said receiver arm thereby releasing the latter from inoperative position, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

In testimony whereof We afiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM R. EWING. CHARLES P. EWING.

"Witnesses SARA BELLE Bnrson, IV. A. SLoAN. 

